Ringwood to be flogged off!

[Clarence]

It seems Carlberg / Marston are putting Ringwood out to graze. They're flogging off both the premises and the brand.. A great opportunity for one or several of you likely lasses or lads. Ringwood is an excellent brand. Marston's wanted too much volume and to sell it the beer too cheap. Same problem with Black Sheep (but not Marston's of course) Excellent beers from both of these breweries should have their niche. If I were up for it, I'd be downsizing and getting my beer out of Asda and Tesco.
Come on: A consortium of Anna and Clint to revitalise the tastebuds of Dorset (or is it Hampshire?)

 

[Agentgonzo]

It's in Hampshire. Nice beer, 49er is a very nice pint. I didn't realise it was owned by carlsberg.

 

[dave_77]

Shame these once great breweries and beers have been ruined by big beer

 

[Clarence]

Shame these once great breweries and beers have been ruined by big beer

Except it hasn't. I'm not sure about the relationship between Carlsberg and Marston, but when Marston bought the brewery it was pretty much business as usual and the 49er and Old Thumper were just as good as ever. Ringwood Bitter was always a bit wishy-washy. The real damage was done around the late 80s early 90s when they changed the recipes and they became less hoppy. That was Ringwood's fault. And Old Thumper got watered down a bit from the 6% abv it used to be. The barstewards. If Peter Austin were alive today he'd be turning in his grave!

 

[Agentgonzo]

Except it hasn't. I'm not sure about the relationship between Carlsberg and Marston, but when Marston bought the brewery it was pretty much business as usual and the 49er and Old Thumper were just as good as ever. Ringwood Bitter was always a bit wishy-washy. The real damage was done around the late 80s early 90s when they changed the recipes and they became less hoppy. That was Ringwood's fault. And Old Thumper got watered down a bit from the 6% abv it used to be. The barstewards. If Peter Austin were alive today he'd be turning in his grave!

I haven't noticed that 49er has changed over the last 2 decades. It's still lovely.. As is boondoggle and old thumper.

@Clarence , what is it about Ringwood that you feel has been ruined?

 

[Galena]

I can't speak for Ringwood but they certainly managed to ruin Draught Bass, Pedigree and Doombar

 

[Clarence]

I haven't noticed that 49er has changed over the last 2 decades. It's still lovely.. As is boondoggle and old thumper.

@Clarence , what is it about Ringwood that you feel has been ruined?

There's some misunderstanding. The 49er and the Old Thumper haven't changed, as far as I can tell, over the past two decades. You need to go back two further decades when the beer was hoppier and the OT was stronger. Quite a number of breweries experimented with less bitter beers, including Wadworth, so the beer would appeal to a wider market.

 

[Agentgonzo]

There's some misunderstanding. The 49er and the Old Thumper haven't changed, as far as I can tell, over the past two decades. You need to go back two further decades when the beer was hoppier and the OT was stronger. Quite a number of breweries experimented with less bitter beers, including Wadworth, so the beer would appeal to a wider market.

But carlsberg only bought Ringwood in 2007 I think and we independent before then, so you can't quite blame that on "big beer"? Or are you meaning "big beer" as "the move away from hoppier beers" rather than "big multinationals"?

 

[Clarence]

But carlsberg only bought Ringwood in 2007 I think and we independent before then, so you can't quite blame that on "big beer"? Or are you meaning "big beer" as "the move away from hoppier beers" rather than "big multinationals"?

It was Marston's. The merger with Carlsberg came much more recently. No this was Ringwood tweaking their own recipes. They denied it strenuously but there was no getting round it the beer had changed. Late 80s I should say. The beer is still very, very good. Back then it was the true nectar of the godless.
Edit.
The reduction in strength in the Old Thumper might have come later, come to think of it. The only beer that didn't seem to change was the 4X porter.

 

[dave_77]

But carlsberg only bought Ringwood in 2007 I think and we independent before then, so you can't quite blame that on "big beer"? Or are you meaning "big beer" as "the move away from hoppier beers" rather than "big multinationals"?

To be fair I can't remember when I started drinking Ringwood and Black sheep beers.. probably would have been in early 2000's. Being in Kent I think I have mostly had them in bottle and I would agree I haven't noticed much of a change with Ringwood beers from memory and still enjoy them. It's a shame in the current climate that newer craft breweries or traditional independents were bought out for whatever reason but could be lost altogether if a deal can't be done.

 

[dcbrookes]

I can't speak for Ringwood but they certainly managed to ruin Draught Bass, Pedigree and Doombar

How could you ruin Doombar?

 

[Clint]

Carlsberg....bought Wrexham Lager..to shut it down...
Now Wrexham Lager is Privately owned and on a massive revival!

 

[Galena]

How could you ruin Doombar?

That is a valid point, I am assuming that at some point in it's history before Marston's got their hands on it, it was half decent.
Marston's have a policy to dumb down their draught beer to make it easy for their pub managers who have no knowledge or interest in keeping a decent ale to keep the beer.

 

[Paul Roberts]

Pretty sure doombar was purchased by molson coors and not marstons

 

[Jim Brewster]

Pretty sure doombar was purchased by molson coors and not marstons

Definitely. I got a refund on a Doombar mini keg and ended up with loads of Molson Coors vouchers. Great!

 

[Galena]

Pretty sure doombar was purchased by molson coors and not marstons

Yes you are correct, my bad. Bass Brewers were bought by Coors in 2002 from Interbrew but Interbrew kept the name Bass. Coors became Molson Coors in 2009. I have it on good authority that Coors allowed the Draught Bass yeast strain to die off, so Draught Bass can never be what it was again.
Marstons now produce Draught Bass and bottled Doombar apparently. Draught Doombar being produced by Coors (presumably at Sharp's?)

 

[Chippy_Tea]

How could you ruin Doombar?

Our local sells Doombar its not the best pint i have had but its a lot better than some of the dross sold in pubs round here.

 

[madmikehooper]

Yes you are correct, my bad. Bass Brewers were bought by Coors in 2002 from Interbrew but Interbrew kept the name Bass. Coors became Molson Coors in 2009. I have it on good authority that Coors allowed the Draught Bass yeast strain to die off, so Draught Bass can never be what it was again.
Marstons now produce Draught Bass and bottled Doombar apparently. Draught Doombar being produced by Coors (presumably at Sharp's?)

Damn. Bass was legendary.

 

[Sadfield]

Quite a number of breweries experimented with less bitter beers, including Wadworth, so the beer would appeal to a wider market

History repeating in Craft beer.

 

[dave_77]

Our local sells Doombar its not the best pint i have had but its a lot better than some of the dross sold in pubs round here.


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I'm not a fan...I was on holiday in Norfolk a couple of weeks ago and I was moaning that they had the Sharps range in the bar at the park we stayed at..
Not sure why the Mrs then bought me a bottle of Doombar and Speckled Hen on father's Day